Patient Communications

01483 571122

Please provide details of the system or process which is currently used by the Trust to communicate with patients by letter, and the organisation or individuals responsible for implementing and maintaining this service.

Does the Trust use the services of an external provider for patient and non-patient letters? No

Please provide details of the Trust’s current Letter printing service supplier/system In house service – letters are all currently printed, hand stuffed and hand delivered by offices to the post room, from where they are externally mailed.

Please confirm if you use Hybrid mail and what type?

Hybrid? Yes No

Bulk and Desktop? Yes No N/A

Bulk only? Yes No N/A

What are the Trust’s annual costs for the printing and postage of patient letters? The Trust’s annual postage costs are approximately £360k.

Please provide monthly volumes and values for the number of patient letters sent? The Trust sends over 1 million letters per annum as part of the administration of our patient journeys.

Does the Trust use an external printing service for either patient or non-patient letters? No

If it does:

When was this service implemented and the specialties included? N/A

Please provide specific details of any aims or targets which were established at the outset and whether these have been achieved? N/A

Please give an indication of the costs associated with the service, including initial implementation costs and support costs? N/A

How many NHS staff are responsible for the implementing and supporting of this service and what is their role within the Trust? N/A

Please provide details of your current letter supplier: N/A

Supplier name

Date contract began and contract end date

Contract review date

Cost of contract to date and annual spend

Cost of set up

Cost of support

Fulfilment

Postage – First class? Second class?

Please provide details of the process which was followed to procure an external print Service? N/A

Please provide details of the channels used to publish the notification of procurement, for an external print service? N/A

If no external letter supplier/service is used:

What are the Trust’s costs for the service and support of printing? £853,750

Have you previously considered using outsourced letter printing services, and if so, please provide details of why you chose not to. The Trust is starting to look at this as part of a transformation programme – a managed print service is currently out to tender.